Enteral feeding is a form of hyperalimentation and metabolic support in which nutrient formulas or medicaments are delivered directly to the GI tract, either to the stomach or the duodenum. A nasogastric tube (NGT) is used for feeding and administering drugs and other oral agents. The tube is inserted into the patient's esophagus and stomach in order to ensure the passage of the agents into the stomach and not into the lungs. The NGT can also be used for suction of fluids from the stomach.
However, the use of NGTs can have disadvantages. Minor complications include nose bleeds, sinusitis, and a sore throat. Sometimes more significant complications occur including erosion of the nose where the tube is anchored, esophageal perforation, pulmonary aspiration, a collapsed lung, or intracranial placement of the tube.
Even worse, during feeding, excessive gastric pressure may result. From time to time, the body relieves such excess gastric pressure by expelling gas or liquid or reflux fluid. The fluids are expelled from the stomach through the esophagus to the mouth or nasal pathways. The reflux fluids may be inhaled into the lungs with possible risk of aspiration pneumonia, bacterial infection in the pharynx or esophagus or any other ailments. Accordingly, numerous studies have linked the use of the NGT to an increase in ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). VAP is the most common nosocomial infection in the intensive care unit (ICU), and it is associated with prolonged hospitalization, increased health care costs, and high attributable mortality.
US Patent Application Publication No. 2013/0310806 provides a nasogastric tube including a main lumen having one or more proximal connectors for connecting to a source of substances or pressure, and one or more vacuum lumens peripherally surrounding the main lumen, each vacuum lumen including a vacuum sealing portion which includes one or more suction ports for sealingly drawing an inner wall of an esophagus thereagainst. The contents of US 2013/0310806 are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
There is a need for improved NGTs having suction ports capable of drawing an inner wall of an esophagus thereagainst without causing tissue damage due to the applied suction force.